Why I'm Me
by Brokenshadow of ShadeClan
Summary: <html><head></head>Ever wonder why Mapleshade is, well, Mapleshade? Neglecting family...favored sister...abusive father...ignoring clanmates...and forbidden love? Yeah, that about sums it up. Rated T for saftey</html>
1. Allegiances

**Alright, I've decided to do a fanfic on Mapleshade, and why she's evil. I don't know why she is, but I made up why. So...yeah. **

Why I'm Me

Allegiances

RiverClan

Leader: Mintstar-light-gray she-cat with winter-blue eyes

Apprentice, Brightpaw

Deputy: Graystreak-black tom with a gray streak on flank like lightning

Medicine Cat: Runningheart-slim brown tom

Apprentice, Eaglepaw

Warriors: Duskfire-black tom with orange eyes

Redshine-bright ginger she-cat

Apprentice, Morningpaw

Troutclaw-pale gray tabby tom

Sleetfur-black-and-white tom with green eyes

Apprentice, Birchpaw

Lightsong-beautiful bright golden she-cat with white paws

Vineshade-battle-scared pale brown tom with brown tabby stripes

Fogpelt-mottled pale gray tom

Apprentices: Brightpaw-small white she-cat

Eaglepaw-bright ginger-and-brown tom with green eyes; medicine cat's apprentice

Morningpaw-pale gray tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Birchpaw-brown tabby tom with orange eyes

Queens: Petalthorn-gray-and-white she-cat; mother of Graystreak's kits: Hailkit (thick-pelted gray tom) and Dawnkit (cream-colored she-cat)

Echoleaf-tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes; mother of Sleetfur's kits: Patchkit (black-and-white tom) Streakkit (streaked brown tom) and Willowkit (gray tabby she-cat)

Brownwhisker-brown tabby she-cat; expecting Troutclaw's kits

Stonesplash-beautiful silver she-cat with dark blue eyes; mother of Fogpelt's kits: Amberkit (beautiful long-furred bright ginger she-cat) and Maplekit (ginger-and-white tabby she-cat)

Elders: Ashfall-gray tom

Lilysong-tortoiseshell she-cat


	2. Prologue

**TAH DAAA! The prologue! Here we go...**

Why I'm Me

Prologue

The night whispered softly, the dark green ferns only a shade lighter than their black surroundings. The moon seemed to light the forest, it's light shedding on a large dip in the earth. The river bubbled far off, the foamy water lapping at the small stones on the muddy banks. The fiasco of silence was broken as the bracken ruffled a little far off, revealing a light-gray feline figure. Her winter-blue eyes scanned the camp before exiting, nodding to two cats who sat at the entrance of camp. Bounding to the rivers edge, she bunched her muscles to leap atop a rock edging over the water.

She seemed undisturbed as she stared into their depths, but her eyes gave away the horror within herself-and the dead, mangled body that followed, along with the shriek of a tiny kit that followed. She pricked her pointed ears and stared behind her to see a slim brown tom padding lightly up to her, before joining her on the stone. He pressed his coco-brown fur onto her light-gray fur, but, as he predicted, silence was not want she needed.

"It's not your fault, Mintstar." he spoke up, his blue eyes softening as he stared at the leader.

Mintstar turned to face the brown tom, worry swimming in their icy depths. "But I ordered Cedarwhisker to go out and check the ThunderClan border. If I hadn't, maybe his live wouldn't be taken." she mewed, looking at her paws.

"Mintstar," The brown tom spoke sharply. "Never blame yourself for Cedarwhisker's death. He chased off every cat on that patrol, and he died from his wounds. Dying in battle is in honor, as I have heard. Amberkit shouldn't have been wandering from camp as well." he meowed, staring in the forest that stretched on the other side of the bank, hatred and anger sparking in his eyes.

Mintstar followed his gaze. "Runningheart, it's not like blaming Cloudstar for Cedarwhisker's death will heal us. You're right, my sister should have had better control of her kit, but her wounds haven't proved fatal." she meowed, resting her tail on his shoulders.

Runningheart nodded, thoughts spinning in his head. "You know, I haven't forgotten about the prophecy." he meowed, his blue eyes narrowing._ "The sun's light will shed on the dark maple, until the maple falls on the river." _he recited from memory.

Mintstar's ears pricked with interest. "Cedarwhisker's dying words...they haven't left me either, Runningheart," The she-cat meowed, sensing Runningheart's distress.

The medicine followed his leader's gaze into the stars. "I believe that this prophecy may center around Amberkit," he spoke up. Mintstar's neck fur prickled. Her niece, daughter to Stonesplash and Fogpelt, could be apart of such a gruesome prophecy? "She survived a blow to the head by a full-grown ThunderClan warrior while most kits and new apprentices wouldn't," he added, supporting his idea when Mintstar seemed doubtful.

"You're...sure, Runningheart? Amberkit?" Mintstar meowed hesitantly, looking into the brown tom's deep blue eyes. Runningheart nodded. "And what about Maplekit?" she inquired, not forgetting her other niece, and Amberkit's sister.

Runningheart shook his head. "She's...average. Nothing special." he meowed, looking wearily at Mintstar, checking if he hadn't offended her.

Mintstar's gaze flickered. "I suppose we shall watch Amberkit, and guide her?" she asked. Runningheart nodded, flicking his tail for Mintstar to follow. Mintstar padded along side the medicine cat, doubts hanging in her thoughts.

Unaware to both Runningheart and Mintstar, Maplekit growled in her sleep, as her tiny claws dug into her mossy nest.


	3. Chapter 1

Why I'm Me

Chapter 1

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey..."

Maplekit jolted from her dream, staring around the nursery. The sunlight beamed on her ginger-and-white tabby fur, making her strain her eyes to see the sharing of tongues conversations die down as the cats begun to gather underneath the Mudpile. Maplekit parted her jaws in a yawn, and looked beside her to see her sister, Amberkit, happily sleeping next to her. Maplekit smiled as she stared at her sister, who only a moon ago ran outside of RiverClan camp, and followed a warrior named Cedarwhisker. Amberkit received a hard blow to the side of her head, knocking her unconscious and sending her to Runningheart and Eaglepaw's den.

Maplekit had then realized how strong Amberkit was. Maplekit was so lucky to have such a strong sister, wasn't she?

"Well? Are you going to keep staring at her, or are you going to wake her up?" Maplekit whipped her head around to see Redshine, one of the warriors of RiverClan. Her bright ginger fur was sleekly groomed, and Maplekit remembered that her apprentice, Morningpaw, along with her sister, Brightpaw, where becoming warriors today.

Maplekit dipped her head. "OK, Redshine," she meowed kindly. Maplekit turned to her sister before nudging her flank with her muzzle. Amberkit jolted out of her sleep, before shaking her pelt, scattering moss everywhere.

"Awake." she yawned, stretching her claws. Maplekit smiled at her sister. The sun's rays that creased through the brambles made Amberkit look like a brand of sunlight. Maplekit looked back at her own fur, just to see that it was dully glimmering.

"Come on," Maplekit turned to see her mother, Stonesplash padding out of the den, her tail sweeping up Maplekit. Maplekit scampered out of the nursery, Amberkit following her closely.

Outside the nursery, cats begun to gather underneath the Mudpile. Maplekit bounded over to the pile, sitting next to her denmates, Hailkit and Dawnkit.

"Today, we are showing the RiverClan remains strong by naming two new warriors. Morningpaw and Brightpaw have successfully chased off a fox that was on the outskirts of our territory. Morningpaw, Brightpaw, step forward." Mintstar meowed, her light-gray fur nicely standing out against the sun.

Morningpaw and her sister bounded over, their fur nicely groomed from their mother, Brownwhisker. Maplekit remembered how the queen was expecting another litter, with her mate Troutclaw.

"Redshine, do you believe that Morningpaw deserves the title of a warrior?" Mintstar asked.

All eyes turned to the bright ginger warrior. "Morningpaw is a great fighter, I can't argue with that. Her hunting is...good, but yes, it still could use some work. Overall, I believe that Morningpaw is such a strong fighter, that I can trust her to lead a fighting patrol." she smiled. Morningpaw's blue eyes relaxed, and she smiled at her sister.

"I believe that my apprentice, Brightpaw, is a good apprentice, and is fairing. I also believe that she is good enough to become a warrior." Mintstar meowed proudly, smiling down at Brightpaw.

"I, Mintstar, leader of RiverClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to learn the ways of your noble code, and I ask you commend them warriors in turn. Do you, Morningpaw and Brightpaw, promise to uphold the warrior code, and protect RiverClan, even at the cost of your life?" Mintstar asked.

"I do." Morningpaw answered confidently.

Brightpaw looked at her sister. "I do." she meowed.

"Then by the powers of StarClan, I give you your warrior names. Morningpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Morninglight. StarClan honors you for your patience and honesty, and welcomes you as a full warrior of RiverClan. Brightpaw, from this moment forward, you will be known as Brightsplash. StarClan honors you for your courage and loyalty, and welcomes you as a full warrior of RiverClan." Mintstar meowed, resting her head on each she-cat's head, while they licked her shoulder in respect.

"Morninglight! Brightsplash! Morninglight! Brightsplash!" the cats of RiverClan cheered.

Mintstar smiled at her clan before leaping off of the Mudpile. "Meeting dismissed!" she yowled.

Maplekit smiled at Amberkit, only to realize that her sister wasn't by her side. Maplekit looked around, and then spotted the she-kit talking to their denmate, Hailkit. But the looks of the situation, Hailkit seemed very interested in Amberkit, who just smiled at him in a seducing way.

Maplekit bared her teeth before bounding to the two cats. "Amberkit, I thought we where going to play together!" she mewed, her amber eyes narrowing.

Amberkit looked back at Maplekit before rolling her eyes. "Got to go, Hailkit." she sighed, following Maplekit back to the nursery. Hailkit murmured something under his breath, something too low for Maplekit to hear.

Maplekit spun around to face Amberkit. "Why are you hanging out with_ him_? You know his father is the deputy, and that means that Graystreak wants good bloodline, which means that...well, you know who he wants his son to like." Maplekit meowed, flicking her gaze to Echoleaf's daughter, Willowkit. The pretty silver tabby was playing with her brother, Patchkit.

Amberkit narrowed her eyes angrily. "Maplekit, stop choosing who I should like! You don't understand!" she hissed, running off. Maplekit looked back at her sister, seeing her run off to Hailkit. Maplekit sighed, but brightened up. She was becoming an apprentice soon, where she could be away from Amberkit for awhile.


End file.
